Automatic mail-box signal.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

HENRY WAYNE RANEY, OF MILSTEAD, ALABAMA.

AUTOMATIC MAIL-BOX SIGNAL.

Application filed September 26, 1918.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HENRY W. RANEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milstead, in the county of Macon, State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Automatic Mail-Box Signal; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a mail box signal, andhas for its object to provide a device of this character which is adapted to be mounted upon rural route mail boxes, and which embodies novel features of construction whereby the signal will automatically be moved into operative position when the box is opened to deposit mail therein, thereby enabling the owner of the box to determine at a glance whether or not any mail has been left for him, and saving all unnecessary trips to the box.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a rural route mail box signal which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be readily mounted upon any conventional mail box, which is automatic in its operation, and which is frictionally locked in operative position so that there is no danger of the signal being accidentally dropped or blown into a lowered position before the mail is removed from the box.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combina tions and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through the forward corner of a mail box which is provided with a signal constructed in accordance with-the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View on the line 22 of Fig. 1, the door of the box being shown as partially opened and the signal plate as partially swung into an operative position.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the mail box with the door opened and the signal swung upwardly into operative position, a portion of the door being broken away.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Serial No. 255,776.

cated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, which i1lus trate one embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates a rural route mail box which is of the conventional construction, being provided at one end with a door 2 which is hingedly connected to the bottom of the box at 3 and opens outwardly and downwardly when it is desired to obtain access to the interior of the box for the purpose of depositing mail therein. A short horizontal shaft 1 extends through one side of the box at a point adjacent the open end thereof, said shaft being journaled in bearing plates 5 which are secured to opposite sides of the wall of the box and secured in position by suitable fastening members such as the screws 6. The outer end of the shaft 4 terminates in a head 4, and is provided adjacent the head with a polygonal portion 4 upon which a hub 7 is fitted. A signal arm 8 is rigid with the hub 7 and has a signal plate 9 riveted or otherwise secured to the swinging end thereof.

The inner end of the shaft 4 is formed with a polygonal portion 4 and a threaded portion 4. A hub 10 is fitted upon the polygona'l portion 4, while a nut 11 is screwed on the threaded portion 4 of the shaft, a split spring washer 12 being interposed between the nut and the hub. A lateral trip arm 13 projects from the hub 10 and is adapted to be engaged by a roller 14 carried by an arm 15 projecting from the door 2 to rotate the shaft and swing the signal plate upwardly into operative position when the door is opened. The arm 15 is carried by a plate 16 which is secured to the inner face of the door 2. and is preferably formed in telescoping sections which can be locked in an adjusted position by a set screw 17 thereby enabling the length of the arm to be regulated as may be found necessary.

The inner bearing plate 5 and the hub 10 of the trip arm 13 are provided with cams 18 which are arranged in such a manner that they ride upon and frictionally engage each other when the signal arm is swung upwardly into operative position. lVhen the signal arm is lowered the two cam members 18 are rotated out of engagement with each other and the short shaft a rotates freely within its bearings. No undue resistance is thus offered to the opening of the door 2, although when the signal arm reaches an upright or operative position, the two cam members 18 ride upon each other, with the result that the hub 10 is moved longitudinally upon the-shaft and the split spring washer 12 compressed. This results in frictionally locking the parts in operative position, so that there is no danger of the signal plate being accidentally lowered or blown down by a strong wind. The corner of the box in which the trip arm 18 operates is preferably separated from the rest of the box by a partition 1:9'so that there will be no danger of any mail which is in the box coming into contact with the trip arm or roller and interfering with the proper operation of the signal.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a receptacle and a swingingdoor for the same, of a shaft extending through one sideof the receptacle and journa'led therein, a bearing plate fitted upon the receptacle and formed with a cam member, a signal arm applied to the outer end of the shaft, a hub applied to the inner end of the shaft and formed with a cam member, a trip arm projecting from the hub, and means projecting from the door for engaging the trip arm to rot-ate the shaft and swing the signal arm into operative position whenthe door is opened, the two cam members then engaging each other to frictionally lock the signal plate in position.

2. The combinationwith a receptacle and Copies of this patent may be obtained for a swinging door for the same, of a bearing plate applied to one side of the receptacle and formed with a cam member, a shaft eX- tending through the bearing plate and journaled therein, a signal arm applied to the outer end of the shaft, a hub fitted uponthe inner end of the shaft and having a limited slidin movement thereon, a trip arm projecting from the hub, a nut fitted on the inner end of the shaft, a spring member inter posed between the nut and the hub, means projecting from the door for engaging the lateral arm to rotate the shaft and swing the signal arm into operative position when the door is opened, and a cam member on the hub which rides upon and frictionally engages the cam member of the bearing plate when the signal arm is in operative position.

3. The combination with a receptacle and a swinging over for the same, of a bearing plate applied to one side of the receptacle and formed with a cam member, a shaft journaled within the bearing plate and having a polygonal portion at the inner end thereof, a signal arm rigid with the outer end of the shaft-,a hub fitted upon the polygonal portion of the shaft and having a limited sl-idin movement thereon, a nut fitted upon the inner end of the shaft, a spring HENRY RANEY.

lVitnesses: V

E. E. GIBsoN, MAE GIBSON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington. W 

